HC grants bail to ex-CJ Khairul

Former Chief Justice ABM Khairul Haque on Tuesday secured ad-interim bail from the High Court in two murder cases linked to the July movement, effectively clearing all legal obstacles to his release, according to his lawyers.

A High Court bench comprising Justice KM Zahid Sarwar Kajol and Justice Sheikh Abu Taher passed the order in cases filed with Jatrabari and Adabor police stations.

Senior lawyers Monsurul Haque Chowdhury, Advocate Motahar Hossain Saju and Advocate Md Jahangir Hossain represented Khairul Haque during the hearing.

Following the latest order, defence lawyer Monsurul Haque Chowdhury said the former chief justice has now obtained bail in all seven cases filed against him and faces no further legal impediment to release.

Earlier on April 28, the Appellate Division upheld High Court bail granted to him in five other cases, including a murder case over the killing of a Jubo Dal activist during the July movement, allegations related to manipulation of the caretaker government verdict and an Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) case.

Khairul Haque was arrested from his Dhanmondi residence on July 24, 2024, and later shown arrested in multiple cases filed in Dhaka and Narayanganj over allegations including verdict tampering and corruption.

He served as the 19th Chief Justice of Bangladesh from 2010 to 2011 and later held the position of chairman of the Law Commission on three occasions.